A Rose By Any Other Name: The Gereans for Blood & Treasure

One of the more remarkable outcomes of the Shroudfall was the fusion of plant and human leading to the creation of new races. These races, for the most part, appear as human (although with some plant traits, particularly relating to build and skin). The influence of their plant heritage manifests more as ‘metaphysical’ aspects: odd talents for various kinds of endeavour, magic and the wild. Although there are potentially endless varieties of Tree-folk (and not all are actually Tree-folk at all, being a fusion of other plants and human life), only the most well-known are detailed below.

All Treefolk are susceptible to Charm Plant spells, in addition to the normal human range of vulnerabilities (i.e. Charm Person). They also gain resistance to piercing and slashing attacks, but are vulnerable to chopping and fire attacks. Finally, they gain a +1 to all saving throws against poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph an stunning attacks.

All Tree-folk are bipedal humanoids.

Gerean (Rosaceous Tree-kin)

One of the rarest of the already uncommon Tree-kin, the fragile Gereans are famed far beyond their numbers for their charm, beauty…and their thorny natures when thwarted or threatened. Their essence is that of the rose. Most Gereans are Neutral in alignment (although there have been significant examples across history of remarkable Gereans of Lawful and Chaotic alignment).

Gereans are of a similar height to Elves, averaging 60”, with a movement rate of 30’. They are extremely wiry, with deep red-brown skin, soft falls of white, red or pink hair, dark brown eyes and – of course – rosebud lips. They begin play knowing one human lingua franca (usually Yrenaic, Kanastasi, Urdrinn or Avronakiyan).

The Gereans are simultaneously frail and tough, and possessed of a compelling presence, gaining +1 to Charisma and Constitution, but losing 2 from Strength. They have the following minimum/maximum ability scores: STR 3/15, INT 3/18, WIS 3/18, DEX 6/18, CON 8/18, and CHA 9/19. They roll 3d4 +4 for their Heritage score.

Gereans are blessed with a number of unique powers: their slightly ligneous skin grants them a +1 to their AC and, once per day, can sprout thorns that grant an additional 1d2 hit points of damage to any unarmed attack and grants a +1 to Grapple attacks against any foes wearing cloth or leather.

They can also exude a sweet-scented perfume that adds +2 to any reaction rolls and increases the difficulty of any saving throws against enchantment spells cast by the Gerean by 2. This odour disperses in 1d6 rounds, but clings to the Gerean for one hour per round of duration, making them much easier to track (granting any trackers a +4 bonus to follow the Gerean).

Finally, Gereans can exude a healing sap that heals 1d3 hit points. They can perform this feat several times per day, up to a maximum of 1 + CON bonus (minimum of 1). It takes 2 rounds to produce the sap in sufficient amounts to heal someone. Producing the sap fatigues the Gerean for one round.

Lawful Gereans can also exude a sap that, when ingested, allows a second saving throw against mind-controlling magic or illusions, with an added bonus equivalent to the Gerean’s CHA modifier. They can only do this once per day, and doing so fatigues the Gerean for 1d8 minutes.

Chaotic Gereans can produce the dreaded Attar of Madness, a thick liquid that functions as a Type I poison (regardless of whether or not a saving throw is passed). If the saving throw is passed, the target still sleeps for 1d6 rounds but suffers no other penalty. If the saving throw is failed, however, upon waking, the victim is afflicted with insanity. This lasts for a number of hours equivalent to the Gerean’s level + their CON modifier.

The Attar of Madness can be consumed in several ways, with different modifiers to the saving throw: if ingested normally, there is no modification to the saving throw. If applied to an arrow, bolt or blade, the saving throw is made with a +1 bonus. The Attar can also be burned in a censer, creating a 10’ radius cloud that lasts for 1d4 rounds. Anyone breathing in the smoke of the Attar saves with a +4 bonus, but failure is more serious, with the victim losing 1d4 points across their INT, WIS and CHA (the first point is deducted from INT. if a 2 was rolled, the second point is deducted from WIS. Rolling a 3 means that CHA also loses a point, and, in the unfortunate event of a 4 being rolled, a second point of INT is removed). Producing the Attar takes 1d4 minutes, can only be done once per week and costs the Gerean 1d2 points of CON that recover at the rate of 1 point per week.

All saps produced by Gereans can only be stored for a full day before losing their efficacy.

Neutral Gereans cannot exude any special saps (they still gain the ability to create healing sap and their charming aroma), but do gain the ability to speak with plants, and gain +1 to Survival checks.

Gereans may pursue the following classes: Acrobat, Anticleric, Assassin, Bard, Beastmaster, Cavalier, Chaos Mage, Charlatan, Chevalier, Cleric, Demonologist, Druid, Duellist, Fey Mage, Gallant, Fighter, Jester, Knight of Flowers, Leech, Magic-User (Abjurer, Conjurer, Diviner, Enchanter, Evoker, Illusionist, Necromancer, Transmuter), Marksman, Monk, Priest (Creation, Death, Fighting, Guardian, Scholar, Travel, Trickster, Weird), Puritan, Ranger, Scout, Sentinel, Shadowdancer, Shaman, Sorceror, Thief, Venturer, Warlock, Wizard Hunter, Woodsman.

They may also pursue the following multi-classing options: Assassin-Demonologist, Assassin-Enchanter, Assassin-Necromancer, Charlatan-Enchanter, Enchanter-Venturer, Enchanter-Fighter, Fighter-Thief, Fighter-Sorceror, Leech-Abjurer, Scout-Diviner, Scout-Sorceror, Scout-Venturer, Sorceror-Thief, Sorceror-Venturer, Thief-Diviner, Thief-Enchanter and Thief-Venturer.